3.37 Creating Super Cool Future with Josh Dorfman

“So when I think about a future that is solving climate, I think about raising our quality of life. I think about more inclusive cities with wonderful parks, and it's a fantastic mass transportation that's really considered a luxury good because whether you're the wealthiest person in that city or the poorest, you all want to be on the same subway or the same bus because it's simply the best way to get around and everyone enjoys these types of amenities.There are examples of that all over the world. We try and bring those to light. And that is my vision for what the future starts to look like.”

Josh Dorfman spent time in China in the 1990s, which opened his eyes to environmental issues and the impact of rapid industrialization and consumerism. When he returned to the U.S. and went through a phase of environmental activism before deciding to focus on shifting consumption towards more sustainable products. He started an eco-friendly furniture company called VivaVie in 2004, which led to the creation of his "Lazy Environmentalist" media brand.

During the pandemic when supply chain issues made it difficult to source sustainable materials for his previous furniture company, he developed Planted - Josh's current carbon-negative building materials company. They identified fast-growing perennial grass as a potential replacement for traditional lumber and engineered wood products. They worked to vertically integrate the entire supply chain, from growing the grass to manufacturing the building panels, and partnered with major homebuilder D.R. Horton to secure a large order for their carbon-negative panels.

Josh then launched a media company, Supercool, after stepping down as CEO of Planted to focus on sharing stories of climate innovation and solutions. Supercool aims to highlight commercialized, scalable technologies and initiatives that are improving people's lives while addressing environmental challenges. He shares his vision for a "Supercool future" that involves raising quality of life through inclusive, sustainable cities and infrastructure.